


A Kiss With A Fist

by froggyfun365, tinypinkmouse



Category: Haven - Fandom
Genre: Audio Format: MP3, Audio Format: Streaming, Community: pt-lightning, Download Available, Fist Fights, M/M, PT-Lightning Challenge, PT-Lightning Challenge: Round 6, Podfic, Podfic & Podficced Works, Podfic Available, Podfic Length: 0-10 Minutes, Pre-Series, Pre-Troubles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-02
Updated: 2015-03-02
Packaged: 2018-03-14 08:47:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3404441
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/froggyfun365/pseuds/froggyfun365, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinypinkmouse/pseuds/tinypinkmouse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For a first meeting after Duke's been back, it's not too bad at all. It's almost like he hadn't left Haven, and Nathan, at all. Of course, since things are never that easy it should have been warning enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Kiss With A Fist

Link to streaming and MP3 download: [HERE](https://app.box.com/s/xfk0zc0ysqfav8ifvmh5vvyiw2oxyk9e). Length: 00:08:45; 08.01 MB

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Duke doesn't exactly run into Nathan by accident, he sees him walking into the coffee shop and decides to follow. He's not even sure Nathan will talk to him, and he isn't too sure what he should say. _Sorry I left,_ doesn't quite seem to cover it and besides, he's not. He _is_ sorry Nathan stayed.

He saunters to the counter and rests a hand on it. "Nathan," he says as casual as he can manage.

Nathan orders his coffee before turning to look at Duke. "Duke," Nathan says neutrally, and there's a world of nuances there that Duke isn't sure how to decipher anymore. "What are you doing here?"

"Buying a coffee," he says, knowing full well that that's not what Nathan was asking. "So, I'm taking the _Cape Rouge_ out tonight, you want to go fishing?" He wants to grimace as soon as the words are out, fishing, that's the best he can do?

But there's a small pause and then Nathan smiles at him and says "Sure, what time do you want me to come over?" like it isn't years since they'd last seen each other.

For a moment Duke is incapable of doing anything else than grin back. "Six?" he asks, once he remembers he's supposed to answer.

Nathan nods, touching his to-go cup briefly making sure it's not too hot, before grabbing it. "See you then," he says and Duke looks up from Nathan's hands to offer a nod and a slightly strangled "Yeah." Duke's eyes linger on Nathan until the door closes behind him, and Duke finally turns around to order his own coffee.

For a first meeting after Duke's been back, it's not too bad at all. It's almost like he hadn't left Haven, and Nathan, at all. Of course, since things are never that easy it should have been warning enough. But Duke doesn't give a second thought about combining their fishing trip with some business, he'd just have to go out again later otherwise, and Nathan had never really said anything about his less than legal activities when they'd been kids.

The moment the coast guard shows up, Duke can tell that something's wrong. Nathan's face goes closed off and disapproving, a look Duke hasn't seen directed at him since they were twelve. Nathan doesn't contradict Duke's story though, so at least there's that, but he doesn't really say anything else either and for the rest of the trip back he makes sure to stay as far away from Duke as possible.

As soon as the _Rouge_ is docked, Nathan is about to take off, still not having said a word. Duke grabs him by the arm, turning Nathan around to face him. "Did you want me to tell them the truth?"

Nathan yanks his arm back. His glare could freeze seawater, and for a moment Duke thinks he's just going to refuse to say anything at all. "I should have known you had a reason for asking me to come with you," Nathan spits the accusation at him.

Duke blinks at the venom in his tone. "If I had known it'd make you this pissy I wouldn't have asked," he hurls back, without giving the words much thought.

It's only when Nathan's fist connects with his jaw that Duke realises how badly things have gone wrong. It's a good thing he knows how to literally roll with the punches, since there's not even time to draw in a decent breath before Nathan comes at him again. He avoids the worst of the next blow, which gives him just enough time to actually hit back.

The fight drags on until neither of them can even throw a decent punch anymore and they're just rolling around on the ground ineffectually, grabbing at each other's shirts, trying to get a fist or a knee to connect somewhere. Duke is scratched and bruised and this is not what he'd wanted, but he's been giving as good as he got all the same. 

There's a hitch in Nathan's movements, and thankfully not even Nathan's righteous anger can keep him going forever. By now Duke is more than ready to lay down and give up, quite literally. He takes advantage of the moment and rolls on top of Nathan, hands fisting in his shirt, panting heavily, the taste of metal on his tongue.

Maybe it's just as well they'd gotten this out of the way. It's not the first time they've resorted to fists instead of words. They'd been teenagers and it had been easier to resolve things by getting physical, one way or another, than talking about it. They weren't kids anymore, but apparently they still weren't any better at talking.

He looks down at Nathan, who's looking back at him with a sort of bewildered look on his face, blood running sluggishly from the cut on his lip. Duke relaxes a bit, loosening his grip on Nathan's shirt and breaths a small sigh of relief. 

Nathan touches his bleeding lip hesitantly, and looks at the blood on his fingers like he can't quite believe it's there.

"Nathan…" Duke starts to say, but before he can get any further, Nathan bucks under him and shoves him away. Duke falls to the side, not exactly putting up a fight, and he can hear Nathan scuttle away from him. He pushes himself up to a sitting position and glares at Nathan, who is staring at his own hands like he's never seen them before. A feeling of guilt wells up, drowning the annoyance he'd been about to voice. "Nathan…" he tries again. 

Nathan's eyes shoot up from his hands, briefly meeting Duke's. "Don't," he says, "Don't," and turns his head away.

They do their best to avoid each other's eyes as the silence stretches out between them, heavy and uncomfortable. 

Duke wonders why Nathan hasn't gotten up and left yet, he seemed eager enough to get way earlier. He shuffles closer to Nathan in a way that's far from smooth, he'd stand up if he didn't think his legs might just fold under him. Nathan doesn't even look at him, and Duke doesn't know what's going on, this isn't following any of the patterns they'd laid out in the past.

He wraps a hand around Nathan's wrist. Nathan doesn't flinch or pull his hand away, still refuses to look at Duke. Duke squeezes slightly, trying to convey something he can't put into words. Nathan's head is still stubbornly turned away from him, and Duke squeezes harder, then harder still, until he thinks he can feel the bones grinding together under his hand. "Nathan," he says with clenched teeth.

Finally Nathan turns to look at Duke, then slowly looks down at Duke's hand on him. Duke lets go abruptly, like Nathan's skin had suddenly turned hot to the touch, and snatches his hand back. Nathan turns his wrist slightly, looking down at it before meeting Duke's eyes. And all Duke can think of all of a sudden, is pushing thumb tacks into a little boy's back.

Nathan had hissed in pain when, Duke had hit him earlier, hadn't he? He'd touched his coffee cup to make sure it wasn't too hot, for fuck's sake. Duke surges forward, grabbing the back of Nathan's head and pressing his lips to Nathan. He kisses Nathan like he has something to prove, and it's _wrong_ , off somehow, like it's never been before.

Duke is the one who pulls away and Nathan just smiles at him, and it's the most bitter smile Duke has ever seen.

"Nothing," Nathan says hoarsely. "I felt nothing at all," he repeats. When he moves to get up, Duke doesn't try to stop him. Nathan moves like he isn't hurting at all, despite the fact that they've just tried to kick the shit out of each other for an hour.

He leaves Duke sitting on the deck of the _Rouge_ without another word.


End file.
